Originally Posted by Globemaster2827

Question 1... We are negotiating but the negotiations are effectively stalled. Anything that we've asked for that requires money (we're talking things that might cost the company $1000 a year) have been rejected. We are waiting for the law suit that will tell us whether we're going to negotiate in Section 6 or Merge. If we Merge we'll end up going over 20 years without getting to vote on a contract. We have started to negotiate but nothing of importance has been worked out and won't be until both sides understand their leverage.

Question 2... With regard to the work slow down the problem is that Atlas is seeing 15-20% turnover a year of it's pilots and trying to expand at the same time. That requires upgrades. All of this has caused mass chaos. They blamed it on us, sued us and won. I doubt things will change because there's still a shortage out on the line. Next year I know a ton of people with classes at forever airlines.

Question 3... The "Kalitta Plus $1" is what I've called the company's pitch to us about the new contract. Kalitta has terrible work rules and so does Atlas. Atlas's retirement is probably around 25% of American Airlines's. Probably 15% of UPS or FedEx. Kalitta's CURRENT retirement is worse than Atlas's. Atlas pilots are gone from home 10 more days a month than American Pilots. Kalitta is probably 8 days. Atlas has no line guarantee and neither does Kalitta. Atlas can change our schedules an unlimited amount of times without financial penalty. Atlas has a 62 hour guarantee. Kalitta is 64. UPS has 13 pay periods. Kalitta and Atlas have 12. Atlas pilots don't get paid the months we have to train, so 2 months a year you get min guarantee so that you can train. At Atlas you pay the company to take your checkride. Atlas pilots can work 22 hour days. Kalitta's days are longer. Kalitta has no Rig. What do these work rules mean? A 2nd year UPS FO probably makes what a 12 year Captain at Kalitta makes despite making $80 less an hour. They make $40,000 more than an Atlas Captain. So a "Kalitta Plus $1" contract with no Gateway (Kalitta has home basing) would mean that we'd be under contract for 5 years after the TA and still make less than a UPS FO on 2nd year pay.... And we'd be gone from home far more. Why is that a good deal for any Kalitta or Atlas pilot to make it to Captain and work more/make less than a UPS FO?

Question 4... Compensation is a huge issue for us but only one issue. We did a contract study and we'd have to get $425 an hour to have an Industry Standard Contract with our current work rules and retirement. All of these things are equally important as is Scope.

Question 5... Management does NOT want us to get a better "Schedule". They've proposed taking away Gateway and forcing us to sit home reserve in base. Under current rules we get no Rig for home reserve, so that'd mean they could build Reserve lines that pay only 62 hours of pay. They want to keep the long days that cause us to call in Fatigued as well. Management wants to merge our contract with Southern's who work 20 days a month.

Know this... We want an Industry Standard Contract. All of it. I'm not saying we get it, but that's what we're shooting for. Management wants to merge our current horrendous contract with Southern's worst in all of American Cargo bankruptcy contract and give us a slight hourly pay increase and call it a day. That might be a pay DECREASE given Southern's work rules and might mean that we work more days a month. If we merge our work rules with Southern and get a "Kalitta Plus $1" contract that'd likely be the same pay as we currently make for the next 5 years until they just buy Amerijet.... Or ATSG.... Or Centurion... Or Kalitta...